1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive vehicular service equipment and more particularly to a mounting system and method therefor for mounting a vehicular wheel alignment instrument in conjunction with the wheels of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Proper alignment of vehicle wheels is necessary for smooth vibration-free handling of the vehicle and also so the vehicle doesn""t have a tendency to drift one way or another on the road. Also, proper alignment of vehicle wheels is a necessary component for even tire wear. To accomplish vehicular alignment, it is necessary to establish the position of certain measurements in conjunction with each vehicle wheel. These measurements are camber, caster, steering axis inclination, and toe.
Typical present day alignment instruments utilize placing a separate alignment instrument (sensor) on each vehicular wheel. Each instrument has an emitter and a receiver. The emitter emits a signal which is transmitted to the receiver of another alignment instrument. The receiver will convert the signal into a value which is indicative of the corresponding alignment angle of the vehicle. This information can then be used by the mechanic to adjust the aforementioned measurements in order to achieve the correct and necessary alignment for the vehicular wheels.
Alignment instruments that are in widespread present day usage are normally mounted onto the tire rim of the vehicular wheel. Tire rims sometimes may be damaged and may be slightly out of round or may be slightly inclined relative to the wheel hub. Such damage frequently occurs by the tire and the rim coming into hard contact with an uneven roadway, such as a chuckhole or a curb. Using of the alignment instrument in conjunction with the tire rim does not achieve an accurate alignment because the rim itself is not correctly aligned relative to the wheel hub on which it is mounted.
Additionally, most tire rims, in years past, have been manufactured with an annular raised lip located directly adjacent the peripheral edge of the tire rim. The alignment instruments have been constructed to utilize that annular raised lip to mount the instrument onto the tire rim. Currently, some tire rims are no longer being manufactured with this annular raised lip. Therefore, there is no way to mount the alignment instrument onto the tire rim. The result is the mechanic doing the alignment just does a lot of xe2x80x9cfudgingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cspeculatingxe2x80x9d and guesses at what he or she hopes will be a correct alignment. The result is the alignment is of poor quality and proper handling of the vehicle is not obtained. Uneven tire wear is also obtained.
The subject matter of the present invention is directed to a mounting system for an alignment instrument for a vehicular wheel that mounts the alignment instrument directly to the wheel hub completely by passing the tire rim. If, per chance, the tire rim is out of round, it is immaterial. The particular constructional arrangement of the tire rim is of no matter.
The first basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of aligning a vehicular wheel which is achieved by the steps of removing at least two lug nuts of the vehicular wheel, installing in conjunction with the vehicular wheel at each location of a removed lug nut an elongated sleeve which is substantially longer in length than the removed lug nut, securing onto the sleeves by screw fasteners a mounting plate with their being an annular wall located directly adjacent to and spaced slightly from the peripheral edge of the plate. The screw fasteners are to be tightened so that the mounting plate is tightly mounted on the wheel hub of the vehicular wheel and then installing a conventional aligning instrument in a fixed position onto the mounting plate by being pressed tightly against the annular wall.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by forming the mounting plate in a circular configuration.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the annular wall being formed by a groove formed within the mounting plate.
A second basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a mounting system for an alignment instrument for a vehicular wheel which comprises a mounting plate with this mounting plate having a peripheral edge. An engagement means is located on the mounting plate directly adjacent this peripheral edge. A spacing means is used for mounting the mounting plate in a spaced position from the vehicular wheel and in juxtaposition to the vehicle wheel and in a fixed relationship to the vehicle wheel. A fastener assembly is secured to the spacing means, the fastener assembly connecting with the mounting plate. An alignment instrument is to be clamped onto the mounting plate and it is forced outwardly against the engagement means.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by the mounting plate being circular.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the engagement means being defined as an annular groove.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by the spacing means being defined as a plurality of sleeves each of which has an internally threaded through opening.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the sleeves being all of the same length.
A third basic embodiment of the present invention is defined as a mounting system which is adapted to mount an alignment instrument on a vehicular wheel with this vehicular wheel being fixedly mounted on a wheel hub. A mounting plate, which has a peripheral edge, has an engagement means located directly adjacent this peripheral edge. A spacing means mounts the mounting plate on the wheel hub and fixedly mounts the mounting plate in a spaced position from the vehicular wheel. A fastener assembly is secured to the spacing means with this fastener assembly connecting also with the mounting plate. An alignment instrument is to be clamped onto the mounting plate by engaging with this engagement means.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the third basic embodiment is modified by the mounting plate being formed circular.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified the engagement means being defined as an annular groove.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the spacing means being defined as a series of sleeves each of which has an internally threaded through opening.